Daniel Murphy of the New York Mets scores past the tag of catcher Victor Martinez on a double by Marlon Byrd on Aug. 23, 2013. / Getty Images

Written by

Jamie Samuelsen

Detroit Free Press Special Writer

Jamie Samuelsen, co-host of the ďJamie and WojoĒ show at 6 p.m. weekdays on WXYT-FM (97.1), blogs for freep.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the Detroit Free Press nor its writers. You can reach him at jamsam22@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter @jamiesamuelsen and read more of his opinions at freep.com/jamie.

Do you think Victor Martinez should be the starting catcher from now on when the Detroit Tigers play on the road in interleague play?

The best part about sports radio is that everyone gets to have his or her opinion heard.

The worst part about sports radio is the exact same thing.

The end result of ďopen linesĒ is that we hear a lot of well-formed, passionate opinions. And we also hear some crazy theories and preposterous hypotheticals that make us all wonder if weíre watching the same thing on the field of play.

For example, a few weeks ago, when it became clear that the Tigersí Miguel Cabrera was playing through a great deal of pain in his abdomen, knee and shin, we discussed on 97.1 The Ticket what the Tigers could do to get Cabrera some rest, but still maintain their run toward a third straight division title.

Some suggested some bench time for Cabrera. Others said Prince Fielder should sit down for a game or two, allowing Victor Martinez to play first and Cabrera to DH. And still, others felt that Cabrera should go on the DL and the Tigers could just cross their fingers and hope for the best during his absence. After all, theyíre 6-1 in the seven games heís missed this season. Those are all calm rational thoughts that make sense even if you donít agree with them.

But, then, the lunatic fringe started calling in and throwing out crazy ideas. Maybe Martinez could catch! (Please!) Perhaps Martinez could play some third base! (Are you kidding me?) We, the all knowing radio hosts, quickly dismissed these hair-brained schemes and moved on to more logical topics, like whether or not Lions rookie Ziggy Ansah will break the all-time NFL sack record.

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Well, apparently, those schemes arenít quite as hair-brained as they seemed. Martinez started two games at catcher over the weekend against the New York Mets, allowing him to stay in the lineup in a National League park. And it clearly fueled speculation that Martinez could start at catcher in an NL stadium if the Tigers advance to the World Series. In addition, manager Jim Leyland said the Tigers have considered playing Martinez at third if they need to rest Cabrera by allowing him to DH. Martinez has never played third in the minors or the majors, but Leyland says that he shows enough range and has a strong enough arm that he can handle the position.

So score two for the sports radio callers. Either the Tigers are listening to your ideas or they are discussing every possible option to get to the postseason, keep Cabrera healthy and win that elusive World Series. The Tigers bats went silent last year against the San Francisco Giants. But this yearís team should have Torii Hunter and Martinez in the starting nine, and Leyland wants to make sure that Martinez can play in every game, not just the ones at Comerica Park.

A few things here.

First, itís fantastic that the Tigers are looking toward the postseason in late August. They would never admit this publicly which is fine. But if you donít think these internal conversations are ongoing, then you donít give the Tigers brass much credit. They want Martinez to bat in the World Series along with Cabrera and Fielder, and this gives them the best chance to do it. And with Alex Avila and Brayan Pena ailing, a three-game series in Citi Field was the perfect time to try it.

Second, the Tigers are well aware that despite his heroics at the plate, Cabrera is playing through pain. And they need to find a way to keep his bat in the lineup for as many at-bats as possible while still giving him a chance to recuperate. Or more to the point, he needs to find a way to keep assaulting baseballs, but he has to do it in such a way that he doesnít risk further injury. And the best way to do that, other than an extended rest, is to DH. This would push Martinez either to third base or to catcher and, while thatís hardly an ideal defensive scenario, it does accomplish two things. It keeps the best bats in the lineup and it limits Cabreraís time on the field to four or five at-bats. It doesnít guarantee anything. He looked like he re-injured himself last Tuesday night when he fanned to end a 6-3 loss to the Twins, but he was in the lineup the next day. The point being, he can still exacerbate the pain swinging the bat, but at least it minimizes the risk as much as possible.

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The Tigers arenít exactly hanging on for dear life in the AL Central. And with a three-game series looming with the Indians this weekend at Comerica Park, thoughts of some comfortable breathing room come next Sunday night seem entirely possible. The Tigers arenít playing with house money, but they do have the chance to try some things out here as the season rolls along.

Iíd continue to play Martinez occasionally behind the plate, particularly if Avilaís concussion symptoms continue. This gets Martinez more comfortable with the position and the pitching staff. And it also allows Cabrera to DH (Don Kelly could play third as could Jose Iglesias) and gets him a little rest. Martinez playing catcher in an NL ballpark seems like a no-brainer. But Iíd play him in some AL parks as well over the next month, not just wait until that final series in Miami.

The goal for this team from day one was the win a World Series title. Having a healthy Cabrera is the most important factor in that quest. But having as many good hitters in the lineup as possible is a huge bonus as well. Giving Martinez more and more time behind the plate could accomplish both of those things. There honestly isnít a downside.

And if the Tigers can cruise into the postseason by following this strategy, we can get back to other pertinent debates on the radio. Like whether or not Leyland should move Justin Verlander to closer (and, yes, that topic HAS come up).